Interview with Janet Muirhead Hill Reader Views welcomes Janet Muirhead Hill, author of the unique children’s book, “Danny's Dragon: A Story of Wartime Loss.” Janet is being interviewed by Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of Reader Views. Juanita: Hi Janet, thanks for talking with us today. You’ve written a very unique and timely children’s book, and we are very excited to hear more about it. Would you give readers an idea of the storyline in “Danny’s Dragon: A Story of Wartime Loss”?
Juanita: What is the target age range for your book? Janet: I wrote it for children ages 8 and up. Danny’s sister is 16 and a strong character, so I think teens will relate to it as well. I also wrote it in the hope that parents, teachers, and any adult who plays a prominent role in the life of a grieving child will read it and use it as an opener for dialog with the child who needs to talk about his or her loss. Juanita: What inspired you to write “Danny’s Dragon”? Janet: As I walked in a nearby wooded pasture, one day, I contemplated some of the news clips I’d seen about reservists and National Guard men and women being deployed to Iraq. One such item told of two very young children having to say goodbye to both parents as they were left behind. I spoke with an area mother of three whose husband was in Iraq. She told of the affect it had on each of her youngsters. Then a new little boy in first or second grade began riding my granddaughter’s school bus. I learned that he was living with his grandparents while his military parents were overseas. And of course there was the ever-increasing number of casualties reported on the news each day, soldiers who left behind loved ones whose lives would be changed by the loss. So my thoughts that day as I walked were “How are those kids coping? What happens to them? How do they feel when their beloved parent doesn’t come back? Through putting myself in their place, Danny’s story, complete with Dragon, came to me. Juanita: You’ve used the timely theme of the war in Iraq to backdrop your book. Would you comment on your use of this current social issue? Do you have any statistics on the number of children that are affected by the death of a family member in the war? Janet: First, I felt an urgency to create a story for children going through the loss of a parent. And the war was increasing that number daily. I wanted children to have something to help define and validate their feelings, but I also wanted the world to see the effects of conflict on a personal level, not just as a statistic. At the time I was writing the story, I found statistics that said nearly 900 children of US military personnel had lost a parent in Iraq or Afghanistan. A more recent count cites more than 1200, but the number grows daily—and that is only the number of American children. Globally—and I think about that, for all children matter—no one knows how many thousands of children have lost one or more parents in this war alone. Juanita: What is the significance of the dragon in “Danny’s Dragon”? Janet: Dragon is the name of the horse Danny talked his father into buying for him. Throughout the story Dragon goes through more than one kind of metamorphosis. When his father dies, Dragon becomes, first of all a reminder and representation of his Dad. Thus Danny won’t have anything to do with Dragon, as the sight of him exacerbates his grief. Dragon later becomes the vehicle for Danny’s denial, for through his very vivid imagination, Danny can turn him into a dragon with wings and fiery breath to both rescue his father and scorch his enemies. Dragon is gradually revealed as the embodiment of Danny’s guilt, for he believes, if his dad hadn’t spent the money on Dragon, he wouldn’t have felt he needed to join the Air National Guard. Finally, Danny loses Dragon, gets him back again, and cherishes him as a way of keeping his dad close to him. Juanita: What is Danny’s particular response to his grief? Why can’t he open up, and why is he misunderstood, even by counselors? Janet: Danny’s reactions are typical. Grief is not easy to talk about. Like others experiencing such loss, he’s in shock. He wants to be left alone. He doesn’t understand his own feelings as he goes through denial, anger, and guilt, and doesn’t think he has the right to be forgiven, to feel good or be happy. As one girl who read Danny’s Dragon said, “I felt like I knew Danny's feelings very well, and from my own experiences, this book made me feel like another person had been through the exact same hard time as me. … Danny acted exactly like I did when I lost my father.” Juanita: “Danny’s Dragon” touches on many themes in addition to the grief process. Would you give us an idea of some of the other key themes? Janet: There is the economic impact. Without the breadwinner in the family, lifestyle changes have to be considered, and this usually means more devastating loss on top of the loss of a loved one. There is the issue of family division and loss of communication. Grief has a way of tearing families apart rather than bringing them together. And this happens in Danny’s story for a while. In the end, they reconnect, though I’m afraid that doesn’t always happen in real life. The issues of racism, hatred, and fear are touched on. Danny meets “the enemy” in the form of an Iraqi born classmate. Through Danny’s eyes, and the help of a wise teacher, the reader can learn to see people as individuals—real people with emotions, needs, and principles, rather than generalizing them into a group to hate and fear. Another issue, though subtle, is the importance of believing in one’s own worth and talents, as both Danny and his mother each finally discover that their artistic gifts have value. Juanita: You use the term “fellowship of the suffering.” This will certainly appeal to children, would you explain what it means? Janet: At first thought it could be a case of misery loving company, but actually, it is a bond formed when one feels understood and affirmed in the company of another who shares the same experience and emotion. I hope that children who have suffered the loss of any loved one whether through war or any other cause of separation, will feel “the fellowship of suffering” with Danny. Juanita: Danny eventually meets an Iraqi child in the new school he attends. Would you elaborate on this experience and its underlying message for readers? Janet: Danny’s initial reaction to meeting Jameel is one of fear. He feels he has encountered the enemy responsible for his Dad’s death. He gradually gets to know Jameel through an accident for which Danny feels responsible. As Danny learns Jameel’s story, he is drawn to him because of their shared grief, and the feeling they both have of being out of place and unwelcome at school. However, Danny’s feelings about Jameel bounce from one extreme to another as other classmates attack Jameel for his ethnicity. The message I hope readers gain from Danny’s experience and the lesson taught by a sensitive counselor at their school in Denver, is to stop judging people on the basis of religion, culture, or race, but to recognize the individual. Juanita: Your intuitive insights as a writer certainly come across in your understanding of Danny’s grief process. What type of research did you do in regards to grief/loss, and please comment on the special understanding you seem to have with the situation Danny is in? Janet: I had studied the stages of grief before in some college courses, but I refreshed my memory via internet research and read about what people, particularly children, go through. I have lost both my parents, and though they had a good long life, and I was an adult when they died, many of the stages of grief are the same. And I know that no matter how much time goes by, the sense of loss remains, sometimes accentuated with overwhelming grief when some reminder triggers an onslaught of fresh tears. I’ve always had an affinity for children. I stay closely in touch with them, their feelings, and experiences through relationships with grandchildren and others. Juanita: It takes a very skillful writer to transform the harsh reality like the death of a parent and turn it into a story that will appeal to children? How have you accomplished this in “Danny’s Dragon”? Janet: By becoming my characters—being in Danny’s heart and mind. Letting him tell me what he would do in a given situation, how he feels, what he sees, and how he interprets his surroundings and interactions. My stories are character driven, and to some extent, write themselves. Juanita: How do you balance out the grief and despair, with positive outcomes and ending for Danny? Janet: Because this story is true to life, and in real life grief isolates people and divides families, I’ve shown that aspect. But life doesn’t end there, and it didn’t for Danny and his family. So while demonstrating how devastating sorrow can be, this book also shows how to reconnect with family and mend and strengthen broken bonds. And, I believe the realistic portrayal of all aspects of the family’s life on a Montana cattle ranch as well as in the “culture shock” for Danny when he moves to the city of Denver gives the book balance. Each of the family members is someone readers can relate to, which makes it much more interesting than a book that focuses only on grieving. The story ends on a positive note, not only for Danny, but for his sister and mother, too. Juanita: Janet, there seems to be quite a few significant messages in your book. Whether a child reading it, or a parent, there are extremely important statements for everyone. Would you give us an idea, as the writer, what you were hoping to convey, and would you say there is one particular underlying message of “Danny’s Dragon” Janet: I may have covered this already, but in a nutshell, I want a child who has lost a loved one to read this book and say, “That’s just how I feel! That’s what I do. I’m NOT alone. Feeling and acting this way is not wrong.” I want them to see that what they are going through is okay. And life goes on. There is life and hope for the future, even though it doesn’t feel like it now. I want both children and adults who have not yet lost a loved one to read it for understanding of those who have—and preparing for a time when they will. If I had to boil it down to an underlying message, I guess it would be understanding and tolerance, if I may combine the two. Tolerance and understanding of one’s own feelings, tolerance and understanding of the actions of those going through the throes of grief, and tolerance and understanding of people who are different from us. Juanita: In addition to helping children cope with losing a parent in war, what other situations do you think “Danny’s Dragon” would be a relevant read for children? Janet: I think Danny’s Dragon can help both children and adults who have experienced losses of any loved one, by any means, to better understand and accept the emotional reaction they are going through. I think kids who have a classmate or close friend who has lost a parent might find Danny’s Dragon helpful in understanding how to relate to that person. Juanita: Janet, do you have any recommendations or words of caution about this book? Janet: I think this book will be most effective when a parent or teacher reads with the child, or reads it, too, if the child reads on his or her own. It is a very emotional book, even though the ending is positive. There are places where strong emotions cause Danny, his mother, and his sister to act out of character. Grief has a way of doing that. Discussion of the feelings and coping mechanisms of the fictional characters can make this book into a helpful tool in dealing with a child’s similar feelings and reactions. Some of the language and the acting-out behavior, which was not normally tolerated in Danny’s family, but was triggered by pent up emotion in trying circumstances is meant to portray reality, not to condone or promote the use of such language and behavior. I would hope the adults may help the kids understand that—or vice versa. Juanita: Janet, would you tell us a little about your writing career, and how readers can find out more about you and your endeavors? Janet: I began by writing short stories when my children were little. Following a tradition my older sister began with me, I told my kids stories I made up in my head as I went, or I retold stories from family tradition. Then I wrote them down and some were published. When I had grandchildren, I did the same thing. The Miranda and Starlight series of six books began as an oral story to my granddaughter Jayme. I continue to write what I call “true fiction” because it reflects real human emotion in response to real issues that kids confront today. To find out more about my writing, you can visit either of these websites www.ravenpublishing.net, or www.janetmuirheadhill.com and I always welcome and answer letters and e-mails. Send e-mails to author@janetmuirheadhill.com or letters to P.O. Box 2885, Norris, MT 59745. Juanita: Thank you for talking with us today Janet. “Danny’s Dragon” is a significant and timely book, and we are happy that you had the chance to tell us more about it. We encourage parents, teachers and loved ones of a grieving child, to look into your remarkable story. Do you have any last thoughts you’d like to share? Janet: Many people will shy away from this book because of the sad topic. Reading it will make you cry, but that’s not always a bad thing. In real life we gain some of our greatest lessons, insights, and catalyst for growth through hardships and sorrow. So it is in Danny’s Dragon. The benefit of “true” fiction comes when we can learn and grow or even emote vicariously through the experiences of the fictitious characters. One lesson I hope the book conveys is that communication can break down barriers, not only barriers within families, but also those erected by cultural differences. |
Social Media NetworkQuick Links
Sign up for email updates Services for Authors
Literary awards and contests
PreViews
Inside Scoop Live
Review the Book
Reader Views Kids
Book Marketing Connections
Authors Access Forum
Book giveaway
|
Along with our book reviews we offer affordable services to meet the needs of our authors in the growing book publishing industry. Our service packages are budget friendly, effective, and will assist the author in showcasing their book to the reading audience.
